Supplement oxygen is often prescribed for patients with respiratory problems or other medical conditions. Many of the medical conditions that necessitate the use of supplemental oxygen are chronic conditions causing the patient to become a user of supplement oxygen for an extended period of time, and often for the remainder of the patient's life.
For home use, stationary base systems are often provided that are capable of supplying large amounts of oxygen over extended periods of time. These base systems may operate to condense oxygen from the atmosphere or may be refilled periodically with deliveries of liquid oxygen. While the home systems are capable of providing large quantities of oxygen over extended periods of time, these home systems are not portable and the user's range of motion is typically limited to the length of the lumen used to delivery oxygen from the base system to the user.
When a supplement oxygen user desires to venture away from their base system, the user may utilize a portable oxygen delivery system. Some portable oxygen delivery systems have been configured to be worn, such as in a backpack, fanny back or other configuration in order to allow the user greater mobility and freedom of movement. Examples of wearable portable oxygen delivery systems may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,651,659 and 6,513,523. A consistent drawback of existing wearable portable oxygen systems has been the limited oxygen storage capacity and the corresponding limited duration for which these systems may be used, particularly when a user's medical condition warrants a constant flow of gaseous oxygen. Faced with the possibility of their portable oxygen supply running out, many users reduce the flow rate of their supplemental oxygen or switch from a constant flow to a pulsed flow in order to conserve the limited supply of oxygen in their portable system. By reducing the rate of consumption, the user is able to extend the duration of use of the portable system but must sacrifice some of the medical benefit.
For users who require a constant flow of oxygen or a longer duration of use, supplemental oxygen users have been forced to forego the wearable portable systems and rely upon a high capacity portable oxygen systems. High capacity portable systems often include a larger tank for storing the required volume of oxygen. Due to the size and weight, many high capacity portable systems are configured such that the tank may be pulled on a cart. Alternatively, those users with sufficient strength may carry the tank. Although these high capacity systems are portable in that the tank may be moved between locations, the need to pull or carry the tank imposes a significant burden on the supplement oxygen user. The restricted movement and cumbersome nature of the high capacity systems often prevents users of such systems from participating in physical activities that they are otherwise capable of performing. Even if the user is capable of carrying the high capacity oxygen system, the configuration of such systems often interfere with the user's range of motion and mobility by distorting the user's center of balance. Beneficial physical activities, such as golf, thus become very difficult for users of supplement oxygen.
In view of the limitations of existing designs, there remains a need for portable oxygen delivery systems that provide an ergonomic means for storing oxygen in a wearable configuration without substantially inhibiting the user's movement, and that provide high storage capacity to accommodate both an oxygen delivery rate and a duration of use that enable the supplement oxygen user to participate in their desired physical and recreational activities.
Provided is a container for storing oxygen under pressure. In one embodiment, the chamber is configured to be worn around a user's waist for supplying oxygen to the user, the chamber defining a volume sized to contain at least one liquid liter of oxygen under pressure, wherein the chamber is defined by a central portion extending between opposite side portions, and the side portions are configured to wrap at least partially around the user's waist such that an exterior surface of the chamber adjacent the user is substantially concave, and wherein each of the opposite side portions has a height greater than a maximum height of the central portion that further defines a void between the side portions and above the central portion. In another embodiment, the void is sized to receive an oxygen delivery system. In another embodiment, the volume is sized to contain at least 750 liters gaseous equivalent capacity. In another embodiment, the chamber has a rigid exterior. In another embodiment, each of the opposite side portions has an interior side portion volume, and the central portion has an interior central portion volume, and the interior side portion volume is equal to or greater than the interior central portion volume. In another embodiment, the volume of the chamber is continuous without dividers or partitions within the volume. In another embodiment, the chamber has a lateral cross-section that is generally kidney shaped to conform to a user's torso. In some embodiments, the chamber defining a volume is sized to contain at least 1.5 liquid liters of oxygen under pressure. In some embodiments, the chamber defining a volume is sized to contain at least 0.75 liquid liters of oxygen under pressure.
Also disclosed is a portable oxygen delivery system that includes a chamber configured to be worn around a user's waist, the chamber defining a volume sized to contain at least one liquid liter of oxygen under pressure, wherein the chamber is defined by a central portion extending between opposite side portions, and the side portions are configured to wrap at least partially around the user's waist to form a first curvature of the chamber, and wherein each of the opposite side portions has a height greater than a maximum height of the central portion that further defines a void between the side portions and above the central portion, an oxygen delivery system disposed in the void between the opposite side portions of the chamber, the oxygen delivery system including: an oxygen supply line coil connected to an output port of the chamber, a flow control valve configured to regulate the flow of gaseous oxygen to the user, and a lumen connector configured to receive a lumen for delivering the flow of gaseous oxygen to the user. In another embodiment, the system is configured to provide a constant flow demand of at least 2 gaseous liters per minute for duration of at least 6 hours. In another embodiment, the volume is sized to contain at least 750 liters gaseous equivalent capacity. In another embodiment, the system includes a carrying case containing the chamber and oxygen delivery system, the carrying case configured to be secured around a user's waist. In another embodiment, the flow control valve is an electronically controlled flow control valve, and wherein the portable oxygen system further comprises a remote control configured to communicate wirelessly with the electronically controlled flow control valve to adjust the flow of gaseous oxygen to the user.
Also disclosed is a portable oxygen delivery system that includes means for ergonomically storing at least 750 liters gaseous equivalent capacity of oxygen under pressure in a configuration that is wearable by a user about the user's waist without substantially inhibiting the user's movement, and an oxygen delivery system for delivering gaseous oxygen to the user.